20 OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION: BULLETIN 198 



from the reach of valuable birds. Wide boards, with inch cross- 

 pieces nailed under thejn, are suited for this purpose. Or pieces of 

 drain tiles can be laid along the trails and the poison can be placed 

 inside with a long handled spoon. Old tin cans, with their ends 

 compressed, or with small openings in their ends, may be used In- 

 stead of tile. In orchards and nurseries, the trees may be protected 

 in early spring- and in winter by cutting small twigs, such as the 

 suckers from apple trees, dividing them into suitable short lengths, 

 and dipping them into the strychnine syrup solution. These 

 poisoned cuttings are scattered along the tree rows and are eaten by 

 both mice and rabbits, while they do not endanger birds or other 

 animals. Meadow mice devour many useless wild plants and weed 

 seeds, but are certain to do much harm to orchard and nursery trees 

 when snow is on the ground, especially if they are abundant. They 

 also devour many insects, some injurious ones, and some valuable . 

 ones — such as the young of bumble bees, these latter insects being 

 of much service to the producer of clover-seed. All things con- 

 sidered, we think i+, wise to destroy as many of these mice as 

 possible. 



Mechanical protectors are much used for young orchard trees. 

 Cylinders of fine-meshed wire are valuable. Sections of corn stalks 

 are sometimes packed and tied into cylinder form around the bases 

 of the trees and give good satisfaction. Newspapers tied around 

 the trunks, next to the ground, are of some value. 



Oa a large scale, a thick Bordeaux mixture is said to be useful 

 to the nurseryman. Make a thick white-wash, about the consistency 

 of cream, to which add enough blue vitriol to give a "robin's egg blue" 

 color. Paint on the trunks to a height of 18 to 24 inches or more. 



Rabbits: I am assured by parties who have tested the remedy 

 that young and succulent plants such as garden peas, cabbage, etc., 

 of which rabbits are especially fond, may be protected by being 

 dusted, while the dew is on in the morning, with dried blood, or dried 

 blood and bone ground into a powder— the form commonly furnished 

 by the fertilizer factories. Read the preceding paragraph on mice 

 for additional information. 



Moles: These little animals work altogether underground 

 feedmg on earthworms, grubs, beetles, and a limited amount of vege- 

 table matter. It seems certain that they do more good than harm, 

 but because of their habit of injuring lawns and gardens, it is some- 

 times considered expedient to kill them. Their destruction is 

 probably most readily accomplished by making use of a good mole 

 trap, various patterns of which are offered on the market Moles 

 have particular periods of the day when they work most freely and 



